Enrollment Still Open For Medical Insurance

January 30, 1986|The Morning Call

People who failed to sign up for the medical insurance part of medicare when they were first eligible or dropped out may now enroll through March 31 at any Social Security office, according to Emil C. Schott, manager of the Hazleton office of the Social Security Administration.

He said medicare hospital and medical insurance is available to almost everyone at age 65, to disabled people under 65 who have been entitled to social security disability benefits for at least 24 months, and to most people with permanent kidney failure.

Schott explained that medicare's medical insurance supplements medicare hospital insurance which is funded by part of the social security taxes paid by employers, employees and self-employed people. Medical insurance, he added, helps pay doctor bills and other medical expenses not covered by hospital insurance.

It is funded by individual monthly premiums paid by those who enroll and by federal general revenues. the basic premium is $15.50 a month for 1986. In general, the basic monthly premium is increased by 10 percent for each year a person could have had medical insurance but did not.

People 65 years of age and over who are not eligible for social security or railroad retirement benefits can get medicare hospital insurance by enrolling and paying a monthly premium of $214 for 1986. People who buy hospital insurance must also sign up for the medical insurance part of medicare and pay the monthly premium.

It should be noted, Schott stressed, that people do not have to retire to get medicare coverage. On approaching age 65, people who want the coverage but wish to continue working may sign up at any social security office and have their coverage begin with the month they reach 65.

For additional information on enrolling in medicare's medical insurance, call the Hazleton office at 455-9541.